Mat processor



April 30, 1968 J. KOMAS ETAI.

MAT PROCESSOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 25, 1966 F l G./

INVENTORS JOHN KOMA S M. DUNCAN INSLEY GEORGE U. PALM W 5W3 M3 JY ATTORNEYS FIG. 4

April 30, 1968 J. KOMAS ETAL MAT PROCESSOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 25, 1966 INVENTOR5 JOHN KOMAS M. DUNCAN INSLEY BY GEOREGE U. PALM FIG.3

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,380,679 MAT PROCESSOR John Komas, Sunnyvale, Marius Duncan Insley, Santa Clara, and George U. Palm, San Jose, Calif., assignors to Mark Systems Inc., Santa Clara, Calif.

Filed Apr. 25, 1966, Ser. No. 544,729 9 Claims. (Cl. 24255.11)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device for handling photographic films of the type which when mated in a common spool function to provide self-photographic processing in which an array of three spools are arranged to carry the film materials through the various reeling and unreeling steps. Spools are provided with drive and braking mechanisms which are appropriately arranged to obtain the prerequisite drive and tensioning functions to facilitate the reeling and unreeling of the film materials thereon.

This invention relates to a processing mechanism for use with Bimat type film and mat materials.

Eastman Kodak and possibly others have developed a film process by which a film carrying a photographic emulsion is processed to render an independent negative and a positive of the image photographed. The process is referred to as the Bimat type process of Eastman Kodak and generally comprises the use of a mat of film carrying an emulsion which is soaked in a developing solution. Development of the initial negative and the rendition of a positive are accomplished by mating the emulsion side of the negative film with the emulsion side of the developer fluid carrying mat. When the film and the mat are compressed together, development occurs by causing the relatively unexposed portions of the exposed film to be transferred onto the mat and the relatively exposed portions of the emulsions to be retained on the film. There is, of course, a gradation of control which provides the more or less continuous tone image characteristic of the ordinary contrast of standard photographic materials. Af .er development, both the mat and the film must be separated which is accomplished by rewinding the two materials on separate reels. As a subsequent step in the process, an acetate or other transparent film covering can be mounted over the posiive image carrying mat film to form a protective coating for the film. This is done by winding the mat and the acetate together on a common reel.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a convenient mechanical mechanism which will provide all the necessary reel control and drive functions for combining the exposed film and the soaked mat onto a reel for processing and, thence, further provide for separating and winding the mat and film on separate reels and, still further, provide the combining of the positive image mat with the acetate protective coating.

To accomplish the aforesaid objectives, the processing unit of this invention comprises three spindles, each adapted to carry a spool. One of the spindles is directly driven which functions as the mat and film take-up drive unit. Another of the spindles is overdriven through a slip clutch to form a brake reaction in one mode of operation, i.e., during the combining of the mat and film phase, and a driving unit for separating the film from the mat in the other mode of operation. The third spindle is provided with a brake or drag mechanism affording greater resistance to rotation of the third spindle in one direction than in the other.

In the aforesaid combination of spindle drive and brake functions, the device is capable of performing all of the 3,389,679 Patented Apr. 30, 1968 necessary aforesaid functions in processing of the Bimat type of film materials without the necessity of providing separate mechanisms for performing each mode within the film processing sequence.

A further feature and advantage of this invention lies in the fact that with the combination of the respective spindles each operates in an effective manner to function in the various modes of film and mat combining and separation with a simplicity of structure.

Another object of this invention is to provide a Bimat processing unit incorporating three spindles, each adapted to receive the mat and film materials and each controlled by mechanisms which afford complete flexibility in allowing the device to operate in different modes of operation.

Another feature and advantage of this invention lies in the fact that the device can be completely enclosed in a lighttight housing necessary for the first phase of the developing processing without interfering with the structural operation of the device.

Another feature and advantage of this invention lies in the fact that the device can either be hand or motor driven in order to perform the developing functions; thus, the device can be used in a conventional motor driven manner where power is available and may, wi'.h equal effectiveness, be used in areas where electrical power is unavailable.

Another object of this invention is to provide a Bimat" film processing unit having a combination of a supply spindle, a take-up spindle, and a third spindle which functions alternatively in supply and take-up functions and in the provision of a simple mechanism for controlling the drive for rotation and the resistance against rotation necessary for each of the spindles durin respective functions of Operations of the device.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective X-ray view showing the processing unit of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the schematic from the various controls for the three spindles;

FIG. 3 is a sideelevational sectional view showing the pressure roller assembly;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the details of the drive assembly for one of the reels;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view showing the connection of a reel to a spindle;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing the machine operating in a mode to combine the film and mat together for processing;

FIG. 7 is a similar View showing the operating of the rat and film after processing on separate reels or spindles; and

FIG. 8 is still another schematic view showing the mat material and acetate coating being joined together on a take-up reel or spindle.

Referring now to the' drawings, there is provided a film processing apparatus of the present invention comprising: a main housing A, having a take-up spindle B, a supply spindle C, and a supply take-up spindle D projecting upwardly from the top face 18 of the housing. The respective spindles B, C and D are arranged with various drive and braking mechanisms, as will hereinafter be more fully described, in order to effect the spooling and respooling of film 2i mat 21 and acetate coating 23 by positioning the respective film, mat and acetate coating in various positions on the spindles, as will also be hereinafter more fully described.

The tal e-up spindle B is alternatively driven by a motor 25 or a hand crank 26 in a clockwise direction as indicated by arrow 28. Spindle D is driven via a belt drive from a pulley 31 mounted on shaft 32 of spindle B and a pulley 35 mounted on shaft 36 of spindle D. Pulley 35 is of larger diameter than pulley 31 so that shaft 36 will be driven at a higher rate of speed than shaft 32. This will cause the spindle D to be urged to rotate at a greater rate of rotation than spindle B. Slip clutch assembly 40 interconnects shaft 36 to shaft 41 of spindle D in order that spindle D can resist the rotary movement imposed through slip clutch 4%? from the rotation of shaft 36. Supply spindle C is coupled via its shaft 45 to a two way or differential brake 46 which is arranged to impose a greater amount of brakcage or frictional force restricting spindle C in a clockwise direction as indicated by arrow pointer 48 than in counterclockwise direction as indicated by arrow 49.

In the Bimat film processing, photographic film similar to conventional photographic film in most respects is exposed in the camera and, while retained in lighttight integrity, is mounted on spindle D in a position for unwinding by rotation of the spindle in a counterclockwise direction with the emulsion side 50 being arranged to face the inside of the spool upon which the film is wound. Mat 21 is a material which appears similar to photographic printing paper in overall appearance but which is formed in a film size and mounted on a spindle similar to film 20. The mat material is formed with an emulsion side 51 which is impregnated with mat and film processing and developing chemicals, all of which are well known in relation to the Bimat film processing techniques. The spool of mat 21 is wound for one reeling in a clockwise direction and is mounted on spindle C with the emulsion side 51 facing inwardly of the spool 53. The film 20 and mat 21 are threaded onto spindle B to form the take-up spool 55 in such a way that the two emulsion faces 50 and 51 of film 20 and mat 21, respectively, are disposed in face to face relation.

A pressure roller assembly E is arranged with a roller 56 positioned by a slidably movable, vertical shaft 58 to move towards and in parallel relation with spool B and positioned at the point of tangential union of film 20 and mat 21 while being wound on take-up spool 55. The shaft 58 supporting pressure roller 56 is mounted on a reciprocal guide assembly 59 to allow the spindle to reciprocate in a horizontal plane toward and away from spindle B. Spring 60 is mounted in the traveler assembly to urge pressure roller 56 continually toward spindle B.

Processing in the Bimat process occurs when the developer impregnated mat is brought into intimate compression with the film, the aforesaid function being accomplished by winding the film and mat together to form take-up spool 55. During the winding, pressure roller 56 applies pressure at the instant of union of film 20 and mat 21. The winding force to wind the film and mat onto spindle B is accomplished either by energizing motor 25 or, in the cases of absence of electrical energy, the hand cranking of crank 26. Crank 26 is connected to shaft 32 by means of a bevel gear mechanism in which the driving gear 61 can be reciprocally moved out of engagement with the driven gear 62 during conditions in which the unit is being motor driven. This is accomplished by reciprocally mounting the hand drive shaft for movement into or out of engagement of gear 61 with 62. During the winding action, belt drive 30 causes a biasing of spindle D in a counterclockwise direction through slip clutch 40. This causes an urging of spindle D and thence spool 52 in a clockwise direction while the film is being drawn onto the take-up spool 55 via rotation of spool 52 in a counterclockwise direction. The slip drive in the clockwise direction causes, in effect, a braking action which creates tension on the film so that it is tautly wound from spool 52 onto take-up spool 55. Spindle C is connected to differential brake 46 in such a way that the spool will resist the unwinding of the mat in the clockwise direction. The differential brake 46 is an ranged to apply the greatest braking forces against rotation in the clockwise direction so that mat 21 is also maintained under considerable tension.

It is important in the combining of film 2t} and mat 21 that the materials once combined be retained in intimate contact without relative motion or slippage between the two materials which would result in a blurred or diffused image. It is also important that the two materials be maintained under tension to avoid air bubbles and the like appearing between the two emulsion faces 59 and 51 which also would interfere with proper development.

It can be seen with the device in the developing mode that film 29 and mat 21 are combined under tension from the two spindles C and D onto the take-up spindle B during conditions in which pressure roller 56 applies pressure to elfect a more perfect union of the two materials.

The aforesaid function is depicted schematically in FIG. 6. The aforesaid steps must of necessity be accomplished without ambient light of wave lengths that would fog the exposed film 20. This can be accomplished by carrying out the aforesaid process in a dark room or, conceivably, by loading the device in a dark room and thence enclosing the spindles B, C and D in a lighttight housing during the winding operation of film 20 and mat 21 onto take-up spool 55. It is thereafter necessary, after the completion of the winding of the materials onto takeup spool 55, to allow them to remain in spool condition for the appropriate developing time which conventionally is approximately 15 minutes. Thereafter, it is desirable to unwind mat 21 and film 20 back onto their individual spools. This is accomplished by positioning the materials as seen in FIG. 7 in which the take-up spool 55 is removed from spindle B and placed on spindle C. The mat 21 is threaded onto spindle B and the film 20 is threaded onto spindle D. In this condition, the pressure roller 56 is moved into a rearward position by engaging a lock mechanism 63 which functions to retain the pressure roller against pressure spring 60 free from engagement with spindle B. In this condition, either motor 25 is turned on or hand crank 26 is manually actuated to cause rotation of both spindles B and D in the clockwise direction. Spindle D, as hereinbefore described, is driven at a greater rate of rotation than spindle B due to the diameter of pulley 35 being larger than pulley 31. The reason for the aforesaid overdrive of spindle D lies in the fact that the outerwound film is on a larger radius than the interwound mat, thereby providing a greater linear length of film than mat for each convolute in take-up spool 55. By this means, spindle Ds greater rate of rotation will take up and wind the film at a greater rate to compensate for the greater length per convolution; thus, by this mechanism, a tight rewind of both the film and the mat in their respective reels is obtained.

It is noted that take-up spool 55 is arranged to unwind in the counterclockwise direction. It has been pointed out previously that differential brake 46 is arranged to provide less frictional or brakeage forces in the counterclockwise direction. This facilitates an easier removal of the film and mat due to the fact that the increased braking force in the unwinding is unnecessary. Furthermore, the combined film and mat have a tendency to stick together so that brakeage force in the order necessary to create tension in the processing mode as illustrated in FIG. 6 would be excessive in the unwinding mode as seen in FIG. 7.

After the film and mat have been completely spooled on their respective spindles B and D, the film can be passed through a conventional drier to remove any surplus moisture from the developing solution. The mat, which now contains a positive photographic image on its emulsion face, can either be dried or directly covered with a transparent film. This is accomplished as seen in FIG. 8 by loading the mat onto spindle D with the emulsion side facing inwardly and spooling a roll of transparent acetate or other type film 65 onto spindle C and threading the combination of the mat and the transparent film onto spindle B With the transparent film being arranged to overlie the outwardly facing emulsion side of mat 21. In this instance, the transparent film is arranged to be unwound from spindle C in a counterclockwise direction which is, as previously stated, the direction of lower braking force. In the aforesaid alignment, the mat and transparent film are joined together under the action from pressure from the pressure roller 56 to form a permanent transparent cover for the positive image on mat 21.

The practical method of mounting the spools on the spindles incorporates the employment of a reel 70 having a central aperture 72 arranged of commensurate size to fit over the shaft of the respective spindles. Leading outwardly from aperture 72 are a plurality of grooves 74 adapted to receive protuberances 75 to prevent the hub 76 of reel 70 from rotational slippage on the spindles. The reel 70 may or may not carry a flange 78 as seen in FIGS. 4 and 5.

As can be seen in the aforesaid description, the mechanism affords a combination of mechanical drives and braking functions which allow the device to operate in its various modes of developing, rereeling, and transparent film application under efiicient mechanical controls, all of which are arranged to accomplish the developing process.

While one embodiment of this invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications can be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A mechanism for handling photographic film comprising: first, second and third spindles, each of said spindles being mounted in parallel, spaced relation, first drive means driving said first spindle in a first direction, second drive means driving said second spindle in a first direction at a greater rate of rotation than said first spindle, slippage clutch means interconnecting said latter driving means and said second spindle, and brake means connected to said third spindle affording a first quantum of resistance against rotation of the first spindle in one direction and a lesser quantum of frictional drag in the opposite direction.

2. A mechanism for handling photographic film according to claim 1 and wherein said first, second and third spindles are each adapted to receive rolls of film and to transfer film between rolls of spindles to other spindles by reason of torque applied to said spindles from said first and second drive means.

3. A mechanism for handling photographic film according to claim 2 and wherein the torque drive applied to said first spindle is high enough and the slippage afforded by said clutch means for said second spindle is sufiicient to allow film to be transferred from said second spindle to said first spindle with rotation in a direction opposite the first direction.

4. A mechanism for handling photographic film comprising: first, second and third film roll receiving spindles, each of said spindles being mounted in spaced relation and projecting outwardly from a common plane, first driving means connected to positively drive said first spindle for rotation at a first predetermined rate, second driving means connected to frictionally drive said second spindle for rotation in a second predetermined rate, said second predetermined rate of rotation being greater than said first predetermined rate, frictional means interconnecting said second driving means and said second spindle having sufficient frictional drive connection between said driving means and said spindle to provide a quantum of torque to said spindle and yieldable to allow said spindle to be rotated in an opposite direction when a quantum of torque is applied to said spindle in excess of the first quantum of torque, and brake means connected to said third spindle affording a quantum resistance to rotation of said first spindle.

5. A mechanism for handling photographic film according to claim 4 having a pressure roller mounted in parallel alignment with said first spindle, guide means to move said roller toward and away from said first spindle, and means urging said roller toward said first spindle.

6. A mechanism for handling photographic film according to claim 5 and wherein said photographic film is of the Bimat type.

7. A mechanism for handling photographic film comprising: a housing having a face plate, first, second and third spindles projecting outwardly from said face plate, each mounted for rotational movement on an axis normal to said face plate and in spaced, parallel relation to each other, first driving means connected to positively drive said first spindle for rotation in a predetermined direction at a first predetermined rate, second driving means connected to frictionally drive said second spindle for rotation in a predetermined direction at a second predetermined rate, said second predetermined rate of rotation being greater than first predetermined rate, frictional means interconnecting said second driving means and said second spindle having sutficient frictional drive connection between said driving means and said spindle to provide a quantum of torque to said spindle and yieldable to allow said spindle to be rotated in an opposite direction when a quantum of torque is app-lied to said spindle in excess of the first quantum of torque, said first driving means having sufiicient torque to provide torque to said first spindle in excess of the first quantum of torque, and differential brake means connected to said third spindle aifording a first quantum of resistance to rotation of said third spindle in a first direction and a lesser quantum of resistance torotation of said third spindle in the opposite direction.

8. A mechanism for handling photographic film according to claim 7 and wherein said first drive means comprises an electric motor and a hand-driven crank and means to alternately actuate said first spindle by said motor and said crank.

9. A mechanism for handling photographic film according to claim 7 and wherein said second driving means comprises a mechanical interconnection to said first driving means whereby the first driving means functions to operate said second driving means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,103,690 12/1937 Neidieh 242-673 2,508,484 5/1950 Barkstrom et al. 242-6 7.3 2,981,492 4/1961 Simjian 24267.3

LEONARD D. CHRISTIAN, Primary Examiner. 

